Saturday, December 29, 2007

Benazir Bhutto

I wonder why more women don't go into politics.

Could it be that we worry about creating orphans?
What sort of message does the assassination of Benazir Bhutto say to all the women and girls around the world who wish to get into politics? Specifically what does it say to the women of Pakistan?

I worry about the gender inequality in the world. I worry about such widespread hatred - and why we are so tolerant of this behaviour.

I understand that Benazir was not only assassinated because she was a women (although that was a trait which marked her for death from the beginning with the Taliban). But it played a role and the loss of Benazir is a loss to the whole world - women especially.

Women are under represented in every area of government and management. I am sad to say that this is also true of my profession. I am a social worker (front line) and in my small office the team leaders are 50 - 50 gender split (despite the fact that women make up 80% + of the workforce). Our administration staff is 100% female. I am forced to ask the question why? During my BSW we were educated about social change and how to affect change in our communities. So why can we not shake the trees and promote more women into positions of power? The majority of our adult clients are female. The majority of our support agencies are staffed by women.

I do not believe that this is due to male intellectual superiority - please. I know that some Harvard professors are debating the differences between the level of IQ in men and women. If IQ testing had been invented by a woman she would have built in multi tasking components which included creating shopping lists, balancing cheque books and figuring out if 1=8 then 2=X. That would be a true test of capacity and IQ. In short I believe that men and women have different strengths intellectually - but this does not place one above the other.

If anythings these differences should reinforce the need to have both men and women equally represented in world government and all levels of business and public service.

So farewell Benazir, you will be mourned by your fellow Pakistanis and women around the world.
I hope that this cowardly act will invigorate women and motivate them to vote in the coming elections in Pakistan.

I also hope that it will light a fire under every mother, daughter, wife, best friend and sister to get out there and get involved. I believe that we can change the world. Vote as is your right and your duty in democracy.

GO HILARY GO!!!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Too Posh To Push

My husband said this to me last night. I have had two c sections and will be having another in May 2008.

This is the same man that stood by and watched me deal with coupling contractions so serious that I was unable to catch my breath during our first child birth experience. I could barely eeck out the words 'epidural' before the next contraction hit my body like a prize fighter. I was crying and had never experienced so much pain in my life. After 16 hours of labour, our son (whose head refused to engage in the birth canal) was born via c section. He was a 7 pound baby and my doctor determined that I had a tilted pelvis and this was what caused the lack of movement despite the 2 hours of pushing and a scary amount of petocin.

Due to the reason for requiring a c section for number 1, I did some research and determined that there was far too much risk to attempt a v-back with my second pregnancy (only 19 months apart). This was confirmed for me when my water broke at 33 weeks and we knew that we would having a baby who would require immediate medical care and special care nursery services. I opted to go ahead with my 'planned' c -section. This c section was very painful (due to babe prematurity it meant that the abdominal wall did not thin and there was more muscle & tissue involved in the operation. I also contracted an infection which was gross.

So in May when I will be having our third and last baby, I will be having a third c section. There isn't much choice for the 3rd time around as the risks for placenta abruption is significant and this is not a risk I choose to place my baby in. I have researched the risks to me and to my baby and I have determined that I am too smart to push.

I have not made my decisions without significant refection. I know how this story can and will end. I know that there will be some women who will always think that they are superior because they gave birth through their vaginas. I don't hold it against them - but until you have walked a mile in my shoes you can keep your mother earth crap to yourself. But I will save my rant for those people for another day.

Back to the real reason why I am blogging about this today...

To give some context to my husband's comment - this is the man that is too scared to have a blood test done to confirm that he has gout.

I can only hope that he gets kidney stones as we age and I am afforded the opportunity to lean over and say - "what honey? Too posh to push?"

Saturday, November 10, 2007

There was warning....

Kids warn you that they are going to be messy. It starts with labour (mucus plug anyone?), continues on with post baby whatnot downstairs (but this time accompanied by either pukey baby or flying pee baby), then there are the projectile moments when trying new food, vomit in the middle of the night, car sick toddler, sticky hands on clean pants child in the morning followed closely by melted chocolate child who rubs their face on your white t-shirt.

So what I am about to say might sound a bit trite.

I am AMAZED at how many times I have been vomited on. I am stunned by the amount of pee that has entered into my washing machine. I am flommuxed about all of the snot that invariably finds & dries on my pants. I am shocked that I even attempt to leave the house (day after day) in the same clothes I started out in.

The kids are at the perfect hight to get me from ankle to shoulder with whatever substance they seem to be willing to share. As noted above this can include body fluids, food and art supplies.

The next time someone tries to wipe something off my shirt, then pulls away their hand and says "Ohhh.... it is cheese." I am going to haul out my Tide Pen and give them a piece of my mind!

There were warnings! Beware!

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Kids = Ugly parents?

We were out today at a thomas the train day. Kids and multi generational families everywhere. I had a moment to people watch while Colin took the boys on a train ride out to the pumpkin patch.

I noticed that the majority of parents are really hideous. Scraggly hair, zippers left half mast, bellies hanging out (pregnant and otherwise), mismatched outfits, snotty noses, pimpled faces.... the list goes on.

And I started to wonder about which came first - ugliness or kids. Did being ugly beget having kids? Or do people become ugly after having kids? If you are not hot enough for the bar scene do you settle down earlier & start to breed?

I am not speaking from a place of goddess based hygiene. I struggle with my weight and more often than not I have a puzzled and perhaps far away look to me (sans makeup - makes me look younger right?). I have not had a hair cut in about 8 months - most people think that I am trying to grow out Heather Locklear feather hair style circa TJ Hooker 1984. But alas it is because I have little time for pesky things such as haircuts. There are dishes to be loaded, kids to be wiped, dogs to be fed.

So then I start to wonder if I too have joined the ranks of the Uglies. Maybe.....

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Movie Night

It is supposed to be my turn to pick the movie that we go and see on date night this week.

I reminded Colin of this and hinted that I might want to see Elizabeth or maybe the new Reese Witherspoon movie.

He shoots back with "You made me watch that Drew Barrymore / Hugh Grant movie - it is my turn to pick". The particular movie he is talking about is call Lyrics and .... I don't remember. And yes we did see it. About a year ago. We don't get out very often - but have been to several movies since then. One of which was Pan's Labyrinth which I could not even sit through it was so gruesome. His choice.

I politely ask which movie he wants to see. No idea. But does not want to watch my pick.

Which goes to show that some people can hold grudges for a very long time if they are forced to watch a Drew Barrymore movie.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Mission Impossible

It was my flex day today and the kids & I had planned a special day to the Aquarium.

Usually we go to Tim Hortons on our special day - but because we were going into the city I decided that this warranted a change of pace & a stop at Starbucks.

Under normal circumstances I drive around until I find a drive thru Starbucks. Bringing the children into a place with silly shelves in the middle of the store and hot beverages is a retail nightmare. Weaving in and out of the parking lot is like playing chicken.

So we get onto Kinsgway..... searching for Starbucks with life saving drive thru. No can do. There are Starbucks everywhere, but none with a parking lot (in the event that I decided to tease fate) or drive thru. We get all the way to the Aquarium turn off. I make the radical decision to go over the Lions Gate bridge on the misinformed idea that the folks in West Van are more civilised.

But again no Drive thru. Kids are sleeping now. I have been driving for 1 hour looking for a drive thru Starbucks. I can TASTE the caramel machiato. I am sure the kids are dreaming of banana bread.

I head over to North Van. Surely these folks have herds of soccer mummies looking for a caffeine fix. Again NOTHING. I wonder how the Starbucks remain full. There ought to be a revolt. Drive Thru Starbucks for the city - not just the Burbs!

Finally after 1.5 hours of driving I find a Starbucks with a drive thru (on Hastings no less on my way back to the Aquarium after declaring defeat). By this point I am too hungry to contemplate a coffee. Kids are still asleep. We drive on to the Aquarium. Where I collapse and forget the packed lunch and order a $30 cafe lunch for us.

Damn you Starbucks!

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Hello suction!

Well our old vacuum cleaner coughed up its last hairball last week. We decided that it was time to grow up and trade in our 10 year old Kenmore for an Electrolux.

I was spending hours vacuuming (clearly not literally - if you have ever seen my house) and still finding cat hair, dog hair and the odd pube unwilling to be sucked up by the prowess of the Kenmore. I'd change the bag and still lack luster suction. So the upgrade was sought.

Initially the Dyson looked promising - but the guy in the commercial was kind of creepy. Someone who I envisioned chasing old ladies around with a hose to test suction. So we took advice from my mom - she loves her Electrolux circa 1988.

We checked everything out on line - it was $850 on the Sears.ca website. I found it on ebay for $338. The dollar hit par and bingo bango new vacuum flying to us via FedEx. Actually it was probably ground fed ex as it took 10 days to get here from Florida. Not the point.

I proudly declared it going through customs, gleefully paid my 'duty' - and still the vacuum was less than half of what it would have been here! Amazing!

Now we are vacuuming like newly weds.

ps I should not speak too badly about my old vacuum - as it now lives at my sisters home. I am sure that it is coughing up crap all over the place there too. Revenge for the 'lost' cabbage patch kid in 1986! bwababahahahaha!

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

All things wet....

Well we are trying to 'potty train' the untrainable Rowan.

We have the tiny potty out for him in the kitchen (ewww). Although he refuses to use it and prefers to dangle precariously off the big potty. Any day now he is going to splash down into the porcelain god and be traumatised for life.
Fabulous. Can hardly wait to have a 10 year old in diapers.

I should know that the standard advice applies - No one goes to Kindergarten in diapers. I have given this advice to others. I want you all to know now that I was LYING. I have no idea whether any kids show up in diapers for kindergarten. Mine could be the first. Rowan seems to march to his own drummer. I am sure (hoping) that he just spontaneously starts to exclusively use the toilet.

The real problem is that on Christmas day 2006 Rowan said potty and peed on the potty at 18 months of age. This is what started my whole hope of toilet training prior to kindergarten. I *should* have KNOWN that this child would be the one to tease me for a full ten months. He actually will wake up with a dry diaper and ask to go pee in the morning. And then pee everywhere 1 hour later in the play room.

I am going to take a deep breath and hope that the pee fairy stops at our house tonight... hopefully deposit occurs in the appropriate bowl.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Bush Denies Low Income Children Health Care

I am not sure who is handling this fellow - but yikes!

Just the PR aspect of making such a stupid statement. It is like he is a Muppet being handled by a Democrat. Humorous if it were not such a tragic comment on his capacity to govern.

Maybe Bush figures that because he is in the swan song of his presidency he may as well make a legacy. And why not make that Legacy a smack to the best resource any country has - their children.

This man makes me sick. He is ignorant and painfully stupid. I could handle that right up the point that he started to get vicious. Someone better reign in that rabid lap dog. And slap his owners with a fine.

I trust that the bond of motherhood will prevail above the lines drawn by political parties. I expect that this statement makes every mother sick to her stomach - except maybe Elisabeth Hasselback.

I am grateful to live in the country that I do.

Go Hilary GO! It is about time a mother hit the Whitehouse.

Parental Responsibilities

I think that we can all agree (at least the mommies) that the division of labour in child rearing is not equal between the sexes. In fact to even have those words in the same sentence irks me.

And I think that it is a typical defense strategy of the male partners to portray and sometimes (taking their very lives into the path of danger) verbalise that they believe that they do most of the work.

An evening not long ago my partner in parenting thought that he ought to lament to fact that I had requested that he bath & story one child at bedtime (the other was asleep). I reminded said spouse that he had played hockey twice in the proceeding week and did not come home until well after bath time (although did hit end of story time one night). So I deserved a lay back with a bag of peanut butter M&Ms and Location, Location, Location.

Now I know that these discussions usually broil up into arguments which include pie charts, calendars and foot stomping. But what drives me mad isn't the actual division of labour (as I am well aware that I do more as I do the daycare drop off and pick up, most lunch packing, setting doctors appointments, organising birthday parties, doing laundry, etc) it is the sheer denial of level of work that I do with the added insult that I actually think that he believes that he does more!

There is a show here in Canada - in fact based in the Lower Mainland of BC- called Crash Test Mommy. It involves a typical mom challenging her husband, childless friends or family members who has critized her in the past - to live her life parenting for a weekend. The Mommy goes away for the weekend to the Spa and checks in and gives direction to the bug caught in the web. You get to watch the baby spiders close in on the prey. Great entertainment value.

Most times the show ends with Mommy coming home and the husband / friend/ family member crying that they never realised how hard it was the parent and get things done.

Colin does pitch in (he cooks dinner most night, we share bath & story duty, occasionally he makes a lunch) I just don't think that he recognises what I do on a regular basis. It is the denial and selling of the idea that he does more than I which makes me want to go on strike.

Maybe they are casting for Crash Test Mommy.....

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

I knew this was coming.....

It is September, but there were warning signs before hand.

Weird scratches on the calendar, odd smells coming from the bathroom, sheepish looks around and hockey pools being drafted. Emails from 8 Rinks. There were signs of this coming....

So hockey season is here and Colin is back in the swing of his own hockey team. They way these guys revere hockey above all else is a bit frightening. The state that they let their gear get into is an abomination to public health. The stories of goals lost and found. Trips to the emergency room for both minor and serious injury. The wicked smelling hands creeping under the covers at night. The assault of the senses as the kids and I make our way down the gauntlet of putrid gear airing out (above the kitty litter box no less - and still the gear smells worse) on our way to the car.

I feel a bit unprepared. My washing machine has been put into double duty washing hockey gear in anticipation of this blessed event. Which begs the question - where has the gear been sitting since the end of last season and why for the love of God did you not clean this stuff out back in April? The tears in my eyes are not from frustration but from the sheer FUNK of the gear hanging in my bathroom.

Another gift from the hockey Gods is that they sometimes schedule games at dinner time - which means that we don't see Colin until the next day (after you factor in game time, 'cool off', and trip to the pub and transit). If it were not for the rank smell of his entrance into the matrimonial room I would not wake up when he arrived back home.

So welcome hockey. I am going to sign my boys up for soccer as I can not bear the thought of dealing with 3 sets of RANK FUNKY gear hanging in the garage.

Serenity Now.

Monday, September 17, 2007

hellooooo Fall!

Well last week made me a bit nervous - what with all the warmth and air conditioning. I had actually packed up all the summer toys from outside, laid out the pools to be sun dried prior to being packed away, watered the petunias one last time and said farewell to the sand table. Only to be met with scorching hot sun for most of last week. And kids demanding Spiderman slip and slide.

But now we are into fall (technically not until the 23rd of September). The smells in the air, Halloween around the corner (yes I have bought the boys their costumes already 25% off at Old Navy!), birthdays and more birthdays (all those Christmas party babies) and the obsessive compulsive thoughts that come with Christmas planning. I LOVE this time of year!

There are practical things that I like about the fall. Hockey season starts and a social void is filled with exciting games (instead of the usual summer rerun fodder). I can wear sweaters and bundle up in the office - and there will always be the question of whether or not I am chubby or just cozy. Playdates inside (although i did really like the ones outside - but this way there can be more coffee and hot chocolate). I also like putting away all the summer clothes and pulling out the winter finds. Especially chuffed when I check the box and find a special Gap shirt or Gymboree item that I bought during a wicked sale... and put away for the fall / winter season. Ahhhh! The joy!

But my birthday is coming up - I have shared it with my nephew for the past 4 years. This means that his party tends to trump mine (which is okay because I do not love my own birthday parties). I think that it is a sign of getting older that I am not at all fazed by this - in fact I enjoy not having to come up with some amazing story about what I did for my birthday.


I am making this list for Colin and other families members in the event that they are wondering what to get me this year:

- Precious Memories gift certificates (already got one from work - THANKS!:)
- Reitmans gift certificate (plus pants for my bulbous behind and large shirts for the ample bosom)
- Chapters gift certificate
- Matt and Nat bag from the Satchel shop - groovy vegan brand.
- pedicure gift certificate - I will go this time. I go down a shoe size every time!

So that is it. Not as caustic as usual - but maybe that is because I am mellow because of the fall.....

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Fun Facts About Slime!

I have a bit of a naturalist on my hands in the form of a 3.8 year old boy. Linden loves all bugs, animals and spiders.

Today he found a slug which he had to bring back home. In the process of transporting the treasure, the slug experienced some anxiety and slimed Linden's hands. Linden shows me his find, which we convince him to put outside so that it can go home. Between trying to save the slug from his plant stomping bug squashing brother (run Sluggy, RUN) and trying not to step on Sluggy, Linden gets slimed again.

We march into the bathroom to clean the slime off. Not only does the slime not react to water and soap - it appears to multiply at the thought of water. So now we have double the slime with the adhesive properties of rubber cement. We graduate to the dish soap (for some reason I thought that slime was related to grease - it is not). Not happy with the copious amounts of slime replicating in the bathroom we move to the kitchen for the larger sink. Where Nana produces a tooth brush and OVEN cleaner.

Time for mommy to stop the madness and check the internet for help. Before someone losses an eye.

Sure enough, confirmed on the internet (because clearly someone else has asked Jeeves this) Slime loves water. In fact that is one of the properties that scientists are studying. That and its amazing ability to withstand and adhere during the more vigorous scrubbing with all sorts of caustic agents.

Stopped the toothbrush / granulated cleaner (which had been located close to the oven cleaner - not really sure what it was) and dried the hands.

The rapidly rubbed hands back and forth together in manner of removing rubber cement (close cousin of slug slime). Voila - slug slime be gone.

Please print this out and put it on your fridge. One day you will need it.

The good news is that the flesh under the slime is protected by the slime to every agent you put on it. So child will not get chemical burn.

In all the hygiene drama Sluggy booked it back to the wild. Be free Sluggy.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Ebay Addiction

Well it is official - although many have speculated - I am addicted to buying crap on Ebay.
Mostly scrapbooking crap - but the occasional car seat or Thomas item has been know to be bought.

And it really does not make too much sense - except for the fact that I am able to get the scrapbooking stuff cheap compared to the scrapbook nazis. But it mostly gets shipped to my friends cabin in Blaine. Which means a 2 hour drive (in the event I want to go during daylight). To get my cheap stuff. And it causes me great concern when it rains as I am never really sure if the metal embellishments will rust....

But I am addicted to the drama of the buy. Beating someone out for some ribbon. Triumphant over the greedy hordes by my cleaver math skills.

One day I hope to actually complete an album. Until then endless entertainment on ebay......

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Doing the math....

When deciding what kind of surface we were going to put down for the tree house 'structure', Colin thought about things in an economical way. Thus we have peat gravel.

But if he had thought about it this way maybe we would have had the more expensive rubber surfacing:

- How much would you pay not to have to shop vac the lawn before mowing the grass (lest you be blinded by a peat gravel rock being fired out by the lawnmower)?

- How much would you pay not to dig peat gravel out of the washing machine?

- How much would you pay not to find peat gravel on the dinner table?

- How much would you pay to not have peat gravel scratches all over your hand scrapped hardwood?

- How much would you pay not to co-ordinate rock extractions from mini noses?

Its not the initial cost of something, but the collateral costs of your decisions which should be taken into consideration.

For the record we would have bought the more expensive surfacing.

Friday, August 24, 2007

A baby boy...

There are so many things that you are told once you have a baby.
But some advice which would be more practical to new parents of boys would be the following:

- you are going to spend a significant amount of time in the ER of your local hospital removing objects from noses, ears, stitches and gross rashes / bites from the outdoors.

- you are going to carry a medical kit with you in your car. With adult tylenol for you to administer as needed.

- the nurses Helpline will be programmed into your phone.

- there are going to be MANY decision points you are going to get to in regards to when to go to the hospital. Grape sized bruise and cut - meh...... maybe requires hospital. But hospital treatment may not warrant hanging out with 2 toddlers for hours to be told to go home & put some ice on it.

- Hot wheels cars do fit into a toddlers mouth - the entire car with mouth closed.

- you will learn to intercede less often - as most times when you do, the squirming child is more likely to engage in more dangerous rolls and turns resulting in an arguably worst injury.

- noses tend to always bleed profusely.

Having narrowly avoided a trip to the ER due to a rock up the nose, I thought that I should pass on this valuable advice.

Be strong you mom of sons!

Just 5 minutes....

It seems there is only a 5 minute window each day that I am with the kids, that I can actually go upstairs to change laundry or go to the bathroom.

And the trick is to realise that you are in the 5 minute zone before it has lapsed. You may be re loading the dishwasher, paying bills, etc. But if you miss that peaceful 5 minutes then it is gone till tomorrow. That is a long time to wait to go pee.

And today I grabbed my 5 minutes just in time - by the time I was setting everything straight in the bathroom, the screamed had started again ' He hit me' 'Rowan ate my muffie' 'Linden bit me!'

Ahhh.. .maybe I should lay off the water during these days...

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Jurassic Flora

Walking (again - that makes 3 times in the past week! I'll be Giselle thin by Christmas...) around the neighbourhood and I start to notice similar yet expensively finished houses. And then I am awe struck by one particular house. It is gorgeous and has turrets (which ironically fit into the mode of the hood...). And beside all of the Victorian finishes there is a 12 foot PLANT with a diameter of about 20 feet. It was massive! One of the fronds / rain catcher leaves was the size of my Micra. Scary. I had to do a double take to make sure I wasn't on some spontaneous reality TV game show.

This man plant scared me. And as I walked up the hill I noticed more of their kind lurking at turret peaks and edging up the side of clearly coloured Victorian mansions (surrey - who knew). And there were no cars or people around. Which immediately made me think of that horror movie form the 80s with the spiders. But the lawns looked too well manicured for the arachnoids to have taken over.

I will post a picture of these huge dinosaur proportioned plants. They are evil.... look like they dine on small children for breakfast. Perhaps I should sent a picture of them to Robert Munsch - then he could write a story about me! Or maybe the kids as having a 30 something mommy scared of plants is a bit wimpy.

On a similar note the petunias are behaving as though they have leporosy. How come spell check doesn't recognise biblical diseases? One touch an a stem of flowers falls off. And on one I saw a coating of baby worms. Ewwww. Time to bring out the blow torch.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Walking in the Hood

I have started to walk the dogs at night.

Mostly to get some exercise, a bit to rumminate & go over the work day before going to bed.
And a little bit because of all the buzz the dogs create.. People love the dogs!

Initially I thought that I had forgotten a vital piece of clothing - but soon got used to the gawking and the fawning over the celebupups. The remarks are a bit stunning - like being asked if they are twin beagles (?) or if they have ever been in a commercial. At which point I have to point out that there is a downside to owning a beagle (aside from the fact that everyone in the public seems to show them more affection than your children). They occassionally eat their own waste... but even this does not deter the most ardent admirers...

While walking tonight, amid the usual paparazzi fan fare, I started to really look at the houses I was passing. Most of them were 5,000 square feet +, most had tiered back yards, pools, three to four car garages, lots of nice cars (and a shocking number of Ford Windstars.... perhaps the nanny mobile?). I started to wonder about who actually required that much space to live in. And who would buy a new driver (from all of the Ns in the rear windows) a mustang or Acura SUV?

And then more questions started:
like what kinds of jobs do these people have? Are they looking for more employees?
who looks after their kids while they are working? The Ford minivan driver?
how many of these gorgeous homes are grow ops?
where do they find their gardeners? What kind of hose would you need to reach up the 12 foot embankment?

And most of all I wonder if one day I too could afford for someone to water my forsasken petunias...
Not likely on my BC Gov wage...

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Respect

Well some of you knew that I was 'on my own' this past week.
You could tell by the incessant screaming / crying every time you called, or perhaps what gave it away was that I was late for work every single day last week or maybe it was that unmade up face and hair in a pony tail ALL WEEK.

Some pretty weird things happened while Colin was away:

- I forgot the kids lunch for daycare on Monday (never happened before in 2.5 years)
- Linden got a rock stuck up his nose and almost had to be taken to the ER (thankfully Gayle Uber daycare provier convinced him to hold one nostril and snort out the other)
- Rowan smashed his face after a birthday party while trying to get into his car seat via the front seat. Hideous bloody nose fest ensued.
- Linden bit Rowan 3x - so that he had circular tatoos on either arm.

So I would like to toast every single mother past, present and future. You do an amazing job and are probably not given enough respect by your friends, family, peers and co workers. I salute you!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Rotting Petunias

I can't grow a thing except petunias. For some reason they flourish in my backyard. There have been some casualties over the years but by far they are my indestructible plant.

But this rain is making them ROT. I try to deadhead the mushy flowers - but every time I think that I have cleared them out, more take their place!

Please be sunny tomorrow. I can't bear the thought of having no flowers for august...

Fecking Chapters Indigo!

So I decided that on friday night I was not going to hang out at Chapters in Langley to get the new Harry Potter book. One reason was because I was quite tired, but the real reason was, and I am ashamed to admit it, but I might have elbowed a small child out of the way to get my hands on a copy (the madness of a mother at 12:01). It would not have been a good career move.

So like a rational adult I went about my business on saturday, visiting family, attending a birthday party, visiting family again. Needed to buy some groceries so I went out (in part motivated by the thought of picking up the tome at Superstore - those who have read this blog know that I loath grocery shopping with the rest of the damned on Saturday night).

Sold out. Getting a bit panicky I decide that I will go to Chapters. I went through their Hogwarts styled entrance and noticed that there was an unusual number of 30 year old folks walkng around with miscelaneous items in their hands roaming around the Harry Potter display. No books. I go to the Childrens section. No book (and no display). I start to wander around in the same circular fashion as the other 30 somethings in the middle of the store. The behaviour of the group is the same that I imagine the patrons of a porn shop. A bit bow headed, checking around furtively trying to locate their item (too scared to ask where to find the glitter condoms), avoiding eye contact with other patrons lest they recognise you.

Finally I make eye contact with another woman. We determine that our quest is the same. We corner a scared clerk who advises us that they are SOLD OUT. Will not be getting reinforcements until Monday. Not even a bloody sign! You could hear the collective sign of the group and we all dumped our decoy items and schlepped out of the store. The original member of my team & I vowed to avoid the media for the next few days in the event that one of them let out the secret to the book (Sixth Sense anyone?).

I went back to Chapters on Monday and found that they still did not have the books out on the floor. Instead they were piled up behind the cashiers. Like you had to ask for them the same way you would have to purchase cigarettes at a gas station. I said enough of this and went to Costco where I picked up the book (where they were easily accessible on a block pallette, cleaverly stocked with the rest of the books) for $10 less than it was at Chapters. With the money saved I bought a Costco size pack of M&Ms.

In the end good triumphed over evil. I hope I can say the same for the book which I started last night (about 60 hours after the rest of the world). Hmmmph.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

No birthday cake



It is official. I am a horrible birthday mommy.

Rowan celebrated 2 years of survival (in the urban jungle sense of the term) and we had a BBQ pool party for him & assorted buddies. To be honest they were mostly Linden's buddies with their age appropriate siblings to make up the kid quota.

"Mommy" (quatations only because I suspect that I am on probation with the Muffia) decided that we would not have a birthday cake but would do 'birthday ice cream cones' instead. To a person everyone asked about the birthday cake. And then Linden, trying to vindicate his mommy, asked, "maybe ice cream cake?" To which I had to reply no. Ice cream cones.

Trauma for everyone. Pictures ruined as Mommy only lit one candle for the ice cream cone due to being flustered about social faux pas of no bday cake.

Better luck next year.

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Gazillion bubbles attack!



The kids love this machine, however it sucks back bubble mix faster than a Hummer on a city trip!
Amazing consumption!
But it is a pretty cool...

Camping Amigoes....

Colin & Linden are on their first ever father / son camping trip.
Of course Colin had to go to a place that doesn't have cell reception - which means that I am thinking of every horrific thing that can happen to a pre schooler at a camp ground. Such as choking on hotdogs, bitten by west nile infected mosquitoes, getting OFF in his his eyes, falling into the lake, wild bears and carbon monixide poisoning. Does that even happen camping or is that just cabins?
But I am sure the little man doing well, it is the big man that I worry about after an exhausting evening of assuring that none of the above things happen. Then get rewarded with a sleep on an air mattress with the 3 foot kung foo fighter as a bed mate...
Yea Camping!

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Hmmm. A baby hippo. That according to the knowledgeable people who draft the witty sayings on GAP kids jammies, is approximately how much I weigh.

Hmmm. Perhaps I should burn those pjs... Super Sorry Linden. Mommy couldn't handle the reminder.

It is difficult to imagine having the time to count calories again and get back down to 165 (my lowest since about 1997). The good news is that I lost 35 pounds last time on Weight watchers (in 2002 - 2003) and didn't climb back up to that horrific starting point until very recently.

I don't recall exactly how my time started to get eaten away in 15 increments - but it has and now I am wondering where I will find another 15 minutes to plan calories wise meals so that I don't scarf everything I see when I get home from work.

I need to do this. Can't really afford to pay weight watchers 15 a week - so maybe this forum will keep me accountable.

I can't title this entry - blogger is driving me nuts.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

thank you

Just a quick thank you to everyone who sent emails messages, phone calls, cards and flowers. Although I have not been able to respond to everyone, please know that I am grateful to have such wonderful support.

Another thank you to those who shared their stories of loss and recovery. I know that miscarriages happen more often than we know in our friendship circle. It was comforting to hear the stories of those who have experienced the same loss. It really is something that you never really get over, but rather incorporate it into your self.

Thank you again.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Misconception

It took just a few words to confirm my worst thoughts.

No fetal heartbeat. Amniotic sac continued to progress to 10 weeks, fetus stopped growing at 8 weeks.
Did I want to stay for a D&C - recommended as I was 12 weeks and nothing was progressing as planned (pregnancy or miscarriage).

So I stayed, and about 10 hours later the D&C was complete (quite a quick procedure and relatively painless physically).

A bit of a weird time - trying to slowly come to terms of the practical. Who is going to pick up the kids, who is going to tell everyone, who is going to call work. Can I call Colin and tell him what is going on without crying and wasting all my batteries trying to blurt it out.

Random thoughts. Like thank God we didn't tell the kids, didn't buy anything or pull out the maternity clothes, I'm going to have to work over the holidays, will I be able finally lose these extra 25 pounds (not this pregnancy related but from Rowan), it wil be nice to have a glass of wine to get through this, and finally won't this day ever be over?

Everything changed on Monday. Everything stayed the same as well.

While I am sad that this chapter won't end on a happy note, I am also reminded of all the gifts I have. 2 healthy children, a loving husband and a wagon full of caring family and friends and work colleagues.

In the end
This too shall pass....

Sunday, May 27, 2007

And baby makes 5

Well I think that we have told all the relevant family members - so here comes our news officially.

We are pregnant again & expecting in December. I feel fine, although a bit tired. Not a lot of nausea.

We have been debating as to whether or not we are going to find out the gender of this new Redekop.

There is significant pressure to have a girl (as there only boy cousins on both sides of the family). However I would like to know for more practical reasons. If it is a boy then I will stop lending out my boy stuff. But if it is a girl then I can start to shop the sales! But truth be told I am just a nosy nelly....

If you have any boys names or girl names that you could suggest that would be great. Our steadfast girl name has been snatched by a co worker (although it does go amazingly well with her first child's name).

I struggle with the term 'we are pregnant' because clearly 'WE' are not pregnant. I am pregnant and I am going to be the one to have 2 needles in my spine & go through abdominal surgery again. And I am going to be the one who is going to be a human milk truck for the entire year of 2008. Colin gets to do the fun stuff. Like sleep through the night. The whole 'we' concept is for newbies who have not figured out that the job is not 50 / 50 (more like 80 / 20 on a good day).

Stay tuned....

Thursday, May 24, 2007

The X Factor

I need to clearly state that I do not endorse the following activity.

You should not google ex boyfriends - unless you are prepared to deal with the feelings of inadequacy in the event that they are leading their life dream of being an indie rock star.

This happened to me last night when I typed in my first boyfriends name into the effective search engine from HELL.

Turns out said ex boyfriend - who went out with me for about 5 years from the ages of 15 - 20 - has become a member of a alternative rock band which has gained significant acclaim in the UK.

I should note that I was not a great girlfriend and we actually broke up over the phone during When Harry Met Sally. There is probably a song on their new album called - 'Can't believe that Bag Dumped me During a Commercial Break'.

But hearing that someone that I spent some formative years with is actually doing something COOL was quiet disturbing. I now feel very old - like I would be mistaken for one of band members mother as opposed to former girlfriend.

Is this the slide into middle age? Every once in a while I catch myself sliding towards my 40s.... without a lot of fanfare. Just another hourly wage earner paying off the mortgage. I think that it may be time to make a big life decision - like move to the UK to practive social work. Or the UN. Or something exciting. So that when I am googled it says that I have actually done something exciting and unique.

Don't get me wrong - I love my husband, my children and my dogs (and I guess my house with its 90's sea foam green carpet). But I crave to do something out of the predictable. I want my kids to have a story to be able to experience life instead of sitting in our cookie cutter house watching Friends Reruns.

Or maybe I just need a mani / pedi & snap out of this malaise.

James if you are curious the band's name is Elizabeth & I believe they have some concert dates coming up in London. And not Ontario but England.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Spin till you yak......

There is a new game at my house - spin your brother till he throws up (or stumbles around like a partygo-er on Granville Street). This is great fun for the boys - less fun for me as I either am cleaning up or trying to weave them around previously safe items sucvh as the coffee table, floor, walls, etc. And of course the inevitable tears if the spinning game is stopped before the above mentioned events take place.

I have been reflecting lately about what it means to parent two boys. I have all the books, Raising Caine, The Wonder of Boys, etc. But I have not really had time to read them as I am usually falling into bed shortly after them. Which I think is a symptom of parenting boys... there are no real 'down times' where they colour (usually eat the crayons or else use them as Bewers), watch a movie (well Linden will sit, but then Rowan initiates the spinning game.....), or play quietly (usually whatever they are playing with gets turned into a Bewer...). So where is the time to 'educate' myself about boys? I suppose I will need to make the time before they get to school so that I can advocate for them as they pretend to bew everyone on the playground.

So here's to all the mother of boys - go on through these uncharted waters & hopefully I'll see you at the end!

Monday, May 14, 2007

Autumn Jenkinson

I came into work today and was greeted with the news that one of the social workers that I knew from Langley (and lately Abbotsford) was killed in a motorcycle accident in Abbotsford on the weekend.

I didn't know Autumn well, but she was always someone who smiled first, someone who was truely interested in what you had to say and someone who remembered your name. She had a gap toothed smile that could lightup a room and she had a great sense for funky accessories. I also learned today that she was the single parent of a 9 year old girl.

Life can change so quickly, in a moment all can shift in the most tragic way. I don't doubt that Autumn spent her last day in good cheer as that seemed to be the way she led her life. I just can't get over how young she was (30) and the loss is so shocking for her family and co workers. Most of all I think about her daughter, all of a sudden motherless.

So here's to you Autumn, I wish your family and friends the strength that they need to get through this moment. I will miss your smile.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

And they are running the world...

I am always stunned that the majority of people in leadership roles in our world are men.

The folks who can't aim into a toilet bowl, find cheese in the fridge, fold a towel properly, multi task on any level or consume a soft drink without auditory assistance are also the same folks who know where the red button is for nuclear war.

How can they be making the majority of decisions in the political world? How can George Bush ever have the insight let alone multi tasking skill to 'rebuild Iraq'?

Am I the only one confused by this phenomenon?

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Meerkat Manor!

My new favourite show!
I ordered the Animal Planet channel just to keep up with these little guys.
It is really a show which profiles a meerkat family (The Whiskers) through several cameras which have been put up around the meerkat den. These animals are so social that it is like watching a soap opera - meerkat style.
I like to think that the kids like the show - however Linden is no longer keen when he knows that Toopy & Bino is on at the same time.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Go Canucks GO!!!!

Wow what a great game!

I have to admit that we scared our own little Linden when Trevor Linden scored in the 3rd period.
But all was forgiven when he heard his name on the TV.

Yeah Canucks! They just seem to love game 7s....

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Just another day on the farm...




Soon it will the boys climbing up the trees and not being placed there by pose crazed parents.
Had another great day with the in laws. They take such good care of us!
Linden had his first sleep over - with minimal (if any) rough patches. He barely said goodbye to us, then when I went to get him today he did not run up for a hug or anything. Until he got bonked in the head by a salt brick (?). Farm house dangers? Then it was all tears & Mommy.
Rowan wasn't sure what to make of life at home without Linden. He was a bit dismayed to find that he had 2 parents to watch him intently & intercede before he got into trouble. I suspect that Rowan has a new appreciation for the distraction his brother creates.

Friday, April 13, 2007



Another Homemade Power Ranger production by the Redekops....
Linden is playing the part of Red Ranger & Rowan is ChickenZord - age old nemesis of the Red Ranger.
Stay tuned....


You might not recognise BeagleZord - but I assure you she will be appearing in many Redekop masterpieces this year!
A Zord is from Power Rangers for all the unitiated....

Sunday, April 8, 2007


Family picture - these rarely happen and as you can tell there are reasons why! ;)

Carson, Brady, Rowan & Linden - Easter at Granny & Grandad's house!

Veggie Meatballs are just wrong....

During a recent grocery shop I decided to try veggie near meatballs. And I have to say that they look & taste like crap. And usually I talk up the soy products as I think they are healthier - but this one has to get a resounding NO.

Easter has been pretty goood so far - one more family do to attend. Colin forgot to get my anything - but luckily I saved the day by producing some Purdys for myself. I have to say that he used to be much better at these things - but I am sensing a do it yourself Christmas this year. I wonder what I will get myself? This behaviour might be contagious as I suspect that some of his buddies at work default to the same 'no gift is a good gift' MO. I wonder if there is refresher boot camp for husbands after the 6th year of marriage?

Perhaps that is the real reason why couples split up after the 7 year mark - it isn't the urge to merge with another, but rather the urge to get an appropriate birthday present... But maybe that is why women tend to make better friendships.

Go Canucks Go!

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Random Road Rage

I was driving to work a few days ago and found myself so annoyed with a fellow driver (someone who blew a red light when I was trying to make a left hand turn) that I wanted to rip their arm from their body and then beat them with the wet end.
I typically don't get so annoyed - in fact I am often the voice of reason when Colin gets angry and fellow people on the road. Ironically most of my " oh grow up" comments to Colin about his 'road rage' occurs at the same light where I felt limb-icidal.

So what causes such frustration? Was it bacause I was running late - not likely as I relish arriving late. Was it because I was travelling without the kids and therefore felt able to 'road rage'? Not likely as I am usually enjoying lame talk radio when the kids are elsewhere. Or was it because I had witnessed one too many boobs (gender neutral term in this context) burn the red light trying to get to the overpass - therefore clogging my way in and out of my small community.

That must be it. I have delayed reaction Fraser Heights resident rage. Beware.

ps Colin fixed our furnace with minimal hair pulling. Grateful for the heat at the beginning of April with all the snow and all...

top 5 baby items...

#1 - Baby Bjorn (those swedes know how to make a carrier!)
#2 - Phil & Ted stroller - ultimate stroller for babies close together in age
#3 - Baby Gap jeans - love them!
#4 - Baby Gap sleepers
#5 - Red Goose shoes (AKA Buster Browns)

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Sunday shopping - madness!

Went into Vancouver today to go to MEC as Linden's fleece jacket is starting to look like something Britney Spears would wear out clubbing. So he is now in a size 6 - gasp! How did my little baby start to grow like a real kid? But only in jackets thank goodness. Also bought him some cute water resistant shorts.

We have split ways with Parker in regards to outerwear - Parker got the beige jacket. At least now we will be able to tell them apart as they run away from us at the playground/ park/ grocery store, etc.

It was our anniversary lasy night - Colin planned everything. Well he organised the babysitter (his mom). But everything else was a crapshoot. Good grief. I guess this means I will be picking out his retirement home....

I did a shift at After Hours on the weekend. I loved it and hope one day to work there. It was nice to be in such a small office. I guess we need to make a decision about whether or not we are going to have another baby. If so then I will wait till after my mat leave to go. But if this is it then I am going to apply & start as soon as possible. Just think of it - home with the boys! Exhausted - but home.

Time will tell... stay tuned. I would miss Law & Order though.... and 30 Rock. And the Amazing Race.

Jenn - are the Polly Pockets getting wind blown? If so I think that I have found one of their windshields while cleaning up the playroom....

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Just another wednesday

Strange but I felt randomly hostile as Colin's mother reported that not one, not two but three of his female cousins are up the pole & due around the same time. Good grief. It is like they are on some sort of mating cycle out there - this will be the third baby for all three. Which means that I will either spontaneously ovulate every time I see them or else invest in some really good wine to remind myself that there are some things I would have to give up in order to be with child again.

I can HEAR the xbox from the lame computer in the den! Xbox meet glass of wine..... only one of you will come out in working condition and I am rooting for the wine!

Scottish maven mocked me again today at work about the blog - I will never tell her anything ever again. And I certainly won't show her how to start her own! She is bursting with child and still able to get in enough breath to mock... not for long sister!

Kids were brilliant today - both threw out their easter 'puppets' made at daycare. Of course threw out is the polite way of saying threw from the car as we were driving down 96th - so some poor long haul truck driver is going to get one impaled on his windscreen. Both laughed as though it was the funniest thing ever. Meanwhile I am having heart palpitations in the front seat thinking that they are throwing out their clothing....

Again no wine. But defrosting 'ripe' bananas on the sideboard which require squishing & baking into 'muffies'.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

xbox nightmare....

Apparently we need an xbox to compliment our imac. Which sounds like a load of hooey to me. But Colin was clear that he needed one to get the most out of the imac. Right.... Just one more thing for him to play with. But instead of being hidden in the den & allowing me free access to the tv to watch my nature shows (when lions behave badly & the like), the Xbox threatens my recreational time. This may not last - our next purchase might be a tv for Colin to take into the den (which has been abandoned as a storage room).

At work today I was MOCKED by my scottish colleague for having a blog. Oh the humanity! There is a certain amount of pressure to be 'witty' on this blog. But I am afraid that I am not funny all the time. Or even most of the time. Sometimes but definately not always.

I bought a bag of Bridge Mixture over the weekend - but I must confess to only liking the chocolate covered jelly portions. The rest of it I could chuck and reluctantly eat to avoid being called a waster by my randomly recycling spouse. But this time I have decided that I am only going to eat the jelly ones. The rest will go into the compost. Which I am sure is not meant for the compost.

See, not funny. Maybe next time.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

good old days....

I have been thinking about the 'good old days' of university. Mainly because I was in the car listening to the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack and reminded about all the goofy things that happened. Like how I had to listen to Sharon & her uber boyfriend at the time get busy ALL NIGHT long (they thought that I was out), or when we tried to bake a cake in a too small pan, or when I thought that Sharon might have ebola (due to no eye makeup), or when we had to endure phone messges during exams which mocked us (from a fine arts majoy friend), or when we make chicken cayenen instead of paprika (and ate it anyway because we were starving), or when I yakked out of the car three blocks away from a house party. Ahh the memories. One day I will put them all on here. It reminded me that I miss my friend Sharon & I really should make more of an effort to stay in touch.

But that is a slice to enjoy at another time.

I spent an large amount of time at UVic feeling like I was 17. Great hair and at times the body to match. But now I am thoroughly disabused of that notion as my ass is the size of a helipad (why? why?) and I am now feeling like I am 35. I am only 31. How did THAT happen? Horrific jump ahead in time. Maybe because I went grocery shopping tonight (a saturday!) at Superstore at 9pm with all the other losers. It was sad. The frozen food section had been picked over, there wasn't an organic egg to be found, obviously my prized organic PC milk was SOLD out and I was surrounded by profoundly sad people. New parents with tiny babies crying, group home staff shopping for the home, teens searching for the cheapest 'mix' for their party, goofy teenage girls buying hair dye, and other moms like me trying to shop while the kids are sleeping & the husband is entertained with the new computer. I felt like a retail refugee. There were actually people sitting on the furniture chatting about their weekend plans. Sort of like a coffee house for sad people too cheap to actually go to a Starbucks.

If only their organic stuff wasn't so good & their dry goods so cheap I'd shop elsewhere. But I have a feeling that Safeway & Save On aren't really hubs of hip moms shopping on saturday night. I'd likely run into the same group of droolers.

I seem to be unusually quite right now - this is partially because I emailed everyone my blog - then promptly got stage fright. As though great things would be expected.

We have our iMac! It is gorgeous. Now I can make dinner and watch ebay at the same time!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

quiet night...

There are some nights that I just love. A good bath night without the tsumani that I am sure is leading to mouldy drywall. Babes put to bed with 5 stories each & minimal negotiating. Husband off to hockey - despite gout pain and flu. Maybe they truly believe that there is an NHL scout watching them... as they gracefully chase the puck around and curse like the big boys.

If I had been organised this evening I would have forseen this blissful two hour period between bed time & the rush to get lunches ready & the car packed for tomorrow, and stopped on the way home to get some wine. Which would clearly make the aforementioned tasks that much more entertaining. But alas no. Just me & the earl grey tea. However the tea will be hot and there will be not little hands clamouring to be picked up, noses to be wiped or toys to be shared.

Just a quiet evening. Except that I think I hear the cat yakking....

Monday, March 19, 2007

moving on up...

Well it is official - farewell PC! Good riddence! May you never infect my email again with your hideous viruses! Bill Gates be gone!

Yes we have bought an iMac. So far so good. Being that it is still in Ontario - or wherever they grow iMacs. Waiting for a Canada Post professional to gently bring it to us.

As some of you might know - getting Colin to agree to an iMac was a feat in itself. It has been a long road to this - many trips to Frys in Oregon to try and get the right piece of PC pap to make our hunk of computer junk move faster, not get some many viruses (use some protection for the love of Windows!) and generally behave like a piece of high tech. But finally even Colin was tired of pumping cash into the bohemeth. So we shall keep it for the kids, so that they don't ever forget where we came from. Then when they grow up we will turn it into an artificial reef.

Can't wait to be posting from the new iMac. All svelt and saucy. Totally unlike its owners. Maybe we should keep the old hunk of tech just so that we feel like we still fit in at home. Next thing you know we will be spilling double hot chai lattes hold the foam & extra caramel onto our wireless keyboard and lamenting the days of the PC. Or perhaps we will be inspired by the new slim computer & actually get off our butts & do some excercise.

Which brings me to the den furniture. The old computer fit in with the decor. Now what are we going to do with our crappy Ikea put together table with Curry legs (seriously)? Now we are going to have to upgrade the whole den. Next thing you know the house will be too cool for us & we will be looking for a less intimidating abode in the Valley.

Maybe we shouldn't be getting a new computer......

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Buggy oh Buggy, where art thou Buggy?

Hello Buggy!
Linden adores his new friend. So much so that he brought him to bed with him last night (safely tucked away in a 'bug viewing' jar which almost turned into a Bug Jam jar after Buggy was momentarily stunned by a blow to the head by the magnifying piece....). Colin had to convince Linden to bring Buggy outside as he needed to go home to his mother... To which Linden relied that Buggy didn't love his mom anymore & wanted to stay with him.
Finally Buggy was put back in the yard - with the promise that he would be able to visit him anytime during the day.
Next day arrives and Linden goes to find Buggy - only to learn that he has left home. Drama for my mom as Linden was very sad that Buggy could not be found.
This is only the beginning.....

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

hmmmm.. tuesday

I did not plan on blogging every day. In fact I have not really told many people about this blog. How will a Hollywood producer ever find me if I don't advertise? ;>)
But here I am - blogging.

I was trying to think of other 'interesting' things about me. And one thing that stands out is that I really like a good good guys versus bad guys scrap. And I don't mean homo-erotic wrestling (what is up with those tights anyway?). What I mean is like evil corporation (or non profit.... either can be evil and I would not want to be accused of being anti corporation) versus poor individual. That stuff really gets me going and I love to fight the good fight.

Maybe I do understand no holds barred fighting..... only without the blood and preferrably with some big wig capitualting (and maybe crying) when I am through with them. Ahhhh...
Maybe it is time to tell my parents about the blog..... with a parental warning of course that there may be too much information shared....

It feels like I drove all over the lower mainland today & I must go whip up some chocolate 'muffies' to bride the kids with tomorrow morning....

Monday, March 12, 2007

ahh the joys of Monday

Well this is a typical Monday - except it has the be the worse day of my year. I am not sure why - but the monday following daylight savings makes me feel jet lagged without the inspiration of exploration to get me through.

There is a girl at work (someone who I would call a friend) who is having her second baby girl in a few months. And she might be calling her Avery! Which some of you might recognise as the name that Colin & have at the top of our girl name list each time that I have been pregnant. Perhaps this is a sign that it is time to let the name go. Also my sister in laws' sister in law is pregnant as well and knows that she is having a girl and she also likes Avery. With all of these girls being born this is yet another sign that we are going to have another baby boy whenever we decide to have babe #3. Helllloooo Oliver......

Not a very exciting day (aside from the fact that it was the worst of the year). Colin had dinner ready for us when we got home, the sun was shining and we even got to out for a walk after supper. So I can't really complain. Life is good.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Here are 10 things you may not know about me & my family:
- I am the oldest of 7 kids
- Colin & I got engaged just outside of Paris in 2000
- Colin & I were in Ireland duing 9/11 and were forced to extend our honeymoon in Scotland
- We have two dogs, two cats & two fish
- I have 2 moms & 2 dads - paired off the old fashioned way
- I am a social worker & practice in the field of Child Welfare
- I like to buy scrapbooking materials, however don't really love scrapbooking
- One of our cars is 19 years old
- I am about 30 pounds overweight right now
- I would like to have a third baby

Alright so some of those things most of you will know. But just in case some big movie producer is reading through this and thinks that my life would make a good movie. I would request that Kate Winslet be cast as me.

I confess to being a big mystified about this blogging thing. I am not quite comfortable with it yet - as you might tell by the fact that I have not posted any pictures yet (although I was taught by Blog Wizrad's Luddite assistant on friday). But those who know me, know that I like to yap on and on about my beliefs and theories. but for another day. I think that I am going to turn in now - on a super rainy Sunday night ( my least favourite night of the week).
Again full of beans! I have a feeling that Rowan is going to be the son that we worry about.... and worry about the effects he will have on his calmer older brother!

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Yikes! How did this happen! One minute I was commenting on someone else's blog and now I have one of my own!